Game Pieces and Method of Use

ABSTRACT

A set of gaming blocks, including a plurality of hexomino game blocks, is provided. The game blocks can be used as part of a game, puzzle, model or toy. The game pieces are particularly configured to include a predefined tolerance to assist with arranging and/or stacking of the game pieces. A playing board assembly is provided that has a curved, surface engaging face to provide for more challenging game play.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/117,041, filed on Feb. 17, 2015, entitled Game Pieces and Method of Use, the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to games, and more particularly, to a set of game pieces that can be used to play a game on a game board, and also, to different games that can be played using the set of game pieces.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Games and puzzles using polyomino shaped pieces are known. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0042892 to Pineda et al (“Pineda”) discloses a three-dimensional cube puzzle having multiple pieces with various shapes that can be assembled into a cube and various other structures using all or a portion of the puzzle pieces.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,681 to Wolf (“Wolf”) discloses a method of playing a game comprising two sets of pieces, each set containing twenty-seven cubes having a hole in each of its six faces. The cubes of Wolf are interengageable to form building groups of two or more cubes which are selectively constructed by opposing players in puzzle form as to permit the groups of each set to be assembled into a large cube.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,388 to Wood et al (“Wood '388”) discloses a game or puzzle including a plurality of polyomino pieces which have the obverse sides and reverse sides marked with different markings. In Wood '388, the pieces may be assembled using both sides into different arrays of eight by eight squares defining checkerboard patterns for use in playing the game of chess or checkers. The pieces in Wood '388 may also be assembled into a cube comprising four by four squares. Col. 2 of Wood '388, lines 46-53 disclose that the term “polyomino pieces” used in that reference includes, ominoes or monominoes, dominoes, triominoes, tetrominoes, pentominoes, hexominoes, heptominoes and octominoes.

Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,345 to Wood et al (“Wood '345”) discloses advanced games and puzzles comprising a plurality of polyomino pieces which have the obverse sides and reverse sides marked with different markings. FIG. 7 of Wood '345 shows a six-by-six-by-six cubic puzzle comprising thirty-five hexominoes and two triominoes, shown in FIG. 8 of Wood '345. A solution to the puzzle of FIG. 7 using all thirty-seven polyomino pieces of FIG. 8 of Wood '345 is shown in FIG. 9 of Wood '345.

What is needed is a challenging and interactive game using three-dimensional polyominoes and, more particularly, using a set including unique hexomino game pieces that can be easily stacked and/or intertwined for playing a game.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a set of gaming pieces, which set includes a plurality of hexomino game pieces, and methods for using such a set that satisfies the needs of the prior art. In one particular embodiment of the invention, the game pieces are particularly configured to include a predefined tolerance to assist with arranging and/or stacking of the game pieces. In another particular embodiment of the invention, a playing board assembly is provided that has a curved, surface engaging face to provide for more challenging game play.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in gaming pieces and a method of use, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a plan view of one embodiment of a game board that can be used in accordance with one particular embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1B is a plan view of another embodiment of a game board that can be used in accordance with one particular embodiment of the invention

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of thirty-five unique hexominoes;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of one of the thirty-five unique hexominoes of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a set of game pieces in accordance with one particular embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of one game piece useful in understanding one particular embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of one particular embodiment of a game board useful in understanding the use of the game pieces of the invention;

FIG. 7A is a top plan view of a game board assembly in accordance with one particular embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7B is a perspective view of the game board assembly of FIG. 7A on a surface in accordance with one particular embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a game board assembly on a surface in accordance with another particular embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a game board assembly on a surface in accordance with another particular embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 10, 10A and 10B show a further embodiment of a destabilizing base for a game board assembly;

FIGS. 11A, 11B and 11C are, respectively, a top perspective view, a side perspective view and a bottom perspective view of a U-channel gaming board in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 12A and 12B are, respectively, a top perspective view and a bottom perspective view of a V-channel gaming board in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a set of “stones” or dice, useful with one particular embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1A and 1B, there is shown one particular embodiment of a game board 10 that can be used in playing a game according to the present invention. In the present particular embodiment, the front face 10 a (shown in FIG. 1A) is configured as an 18×18 grid, sections of which are different colors. For example, the present embodiment of the game board shown is colored, from right to left, in the color spectrum of a rainbow. For example, the columns are colored, from right to left, red, orange, yellow, green and blue. If desired, one or more of the colors may be omitted or different colors and/or color pattern may be used. In the present particular embodiment, each color is used in more than one adjacent row and blends into the next color.

FIG. 1B shows an alternate embodiment of the game board 10, or, in one particular embodiment, the rear face 10 b of the game board 10, wherein a tic-tac-toe pattern 12 is superimposed over the 18×18 grid. Although the grid for the game board is depicted as being 18×18, it is not meant to be limited to only this size, but can be made larger or smaller, as desired, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

The game of the present invention is intended to be played with a set of pieces, which in accordance with the present embodiment, includes a full set of pieces having the shapes of the thirty-five unique hexominoes (101-135) of FIG. 2. Although not shown particularly in FIG. 2, each of the thirty-five unique hexominoes 101-135 are produced in three dimensions (3-D) as cubic hexominoes extending into the plane of the page. More particularly, Cubic hexominoes are created by giving depth to the individual flat squares that comprise the 35 hexominoes (which are flat, 2-D shapes.).

Additionally, as can be seen, each piece 101-135 is configured as six three dimensional blocks arranged contiguously into a single game piece. FIG. 3 is an isometric view of one of the thirty-five unique, 3-D hexominoes of FIG. 2, and in particular, hexomino 114 of FIG. 2. If desired, the thirty-five cubic hexominoes 101-135 can be organized according to symmetry around certain axes. Some pieces have more bends than others, some have more joints or connections between cubes, and there are differences in surface area also, but all consist of six identical cubic units connected together in the same plane. In fact, the thirty-five game pieces 101-135 represent all of the cubic hexominoes that can be assembled by combining six individual cubes of the same size in a unique arrangement. There are no other ways to connect six identical cubes together, such that their faces intersect completely, on the same plane. Each of the cubic hexominoes produced in accordance with the present invention can be made from any type of material, including, but not limited to, wood, foam, plastic, cardboard and/or metal.

In accordance with one particular embodiment of the present invention, in addition to one each of the thirty-five unique hexominoes 101-135 shown in FIG. 2, the set of pieces additionally includes additional pieces that can be duplicates of one or more of the thirty-five unique hexominioes and/or monominoes and/or other types of polyominoes. In one particular preferred embodiment, the set of pieces 200 includes the thirty-five unique cubic hexominoes 101-135 and two additional rectangular prism cubic hexominoes 136 and 137 (i.e., duplicates of hexominoes 101 and 135), as well as two cubic triominoes 138, 139, one cubic domino 140 and one cubic block (monomino) 141. These smaller pieces 141, 140 and 139, 138 represent the only ways to connect one, two and three cubes, respectively, in a single plane. They are included in the set 200 in order to help complete grids, rectangles, squares and other shapes whose area or volume is not an exact multiple of six.

Additionally, game pieces of the present embodiment have been designed so as to allow for easy manipulation of the blocks: a thin, solid space (i.e. a “tolerance”) is included in each of the polyomino game pieces 101-140, inserted between and seamlessly connecting the faces of their individual six cubes, so that the “tab” or projection of one block can fit in between the “slot” or recess of another. The tolerance is small, so that the included spacers need not be used for most structures, but not so small that the game pieces cannot be moved and removed easily and repeatedly, as the selected game and your imagination require. Theoretically, each cubic hexomino has the same volume, of six cubic units. But actual cubic hexominoes, actual pieces or material blocks made by connecting six identical cubes together cannot be placed so that they fit inside or outside each other's recesses or tabs, without allowing a tolerance between the faces to be included in the dimensions of the constructed piece or block. This tolerance is analogous to the grout lines between square tiles on a floor or wall. Similarly, the grid lines on a piece of graph paper can be seen as the (very thin) tolerances between the individual squares they create with their cross-hatching.

Thus, if desired, each game piece 101-140 can be configured as including blocks of a certain size, with two blocks having a predefined tolerance between it and the next contiguous block. For example, referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown one particular hexomino 114, having six blocks 114 a of a size “a” configured to have a tolerance 114 b of a size “b” therebetween. Note that the blocks 114 a need not be individual blocks having the tolerance 114 b therebetween, but can be formed as single pieces and molded, imprinted, carved or painted to have such “blocks” and “tolerances”. In one particular embodiment of the invention, each of the pieces of the set 200 is configured to have blocks wherein each dimension (of the three dimensions) is of a size “a” and to have a tolerance of a size “b” between contiguous blocks. Such a tolerance amount permits there to be a tolerance between pieces, when one piece is engaged with another.

In one particular example, for each block 114 a, the dimension “a” is 24.4 milimeters for each of the length, width and height dimensions of the block 114 a and the tolerance dimension “b” is 1 milimeter. Consequently, a total dimension “c”, made up of one block and one tolerance, is a+b, or for the present example, 25.4 milimeters (1 inch). Thus, in the present particular embodiment, The game pieces 101-137 are actual cubic hexomino blocks that are constructed of six identical cubes, where each edge of the six component cubes measures 24.4 millimeters and the tolerance allowed between the connected faces is 1 millimeter wide or thick. Thus, the length of the side of one cube plus the width of one tolerance=24.4 millimeters+1 millimeter=25.4 millimeters=1 inch.

Similarly, in this embodiment, the length of the 1×6 rectangular prism 135 is six cubes plus five tolerances; therefore, it is 1 mm. less than 6″ long. The width and depth of the 1×6 rectangular prism is 24.4 millimeters. The length of the 2×3 rectangular prism 101 is three cubes plus two tolerances, or 1 millimeter less than 3″ long, while its width is two cubes plus one tolerance, or 1 millimeter less than 2″ wide; its thickness or depth is also 24.4 millimeters, as is the case for all of the game pieces 101-141 in the present particularly described embodiment.

In another particular embodiment of the invention, half-size pieces are provided that are ½ the size of the above-described blocks, the cubes of the half-size game pieces are separated with a 0.5 mm. tolerance between their contiguous faces, which measure 12.2 mm. on each side. At half the size, two layers of the smaller game pieces can fit in any one of the 1″ columns or rows of the playing board, which effectively doubles the functional size of the board 10.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown a simplified example of a six-by-six game board 150 having differently colored hexominoes 152, 154, 156, 158, 160, 162 placed thereon in interlocking engagement for purposes of illustrating the use of the tolerances described in connection with FIG. 5. More particularly, on the board 150 having pieces 152-162 played over the grid lines of the playing board, solid lines surround each shape, but are not part of the actual block. Rather, the solid lines are gaps between the blocks through which the grid lines of the playing board can be seen. The dotted lines represent the tolerances incorporated into the game pieces 152-162 between the integral, contiguously joined blocks thereof. In the present example, the thickness of each tolerance (shown in dotted line) is the same thickness of a grid line that it overlays. In one particular example given above, each solid and dotted line has a thickness of 1 milimeter, to correspond to the thickness of the tolerance of the above example. However, this is not meant to be limiting, as tolerances of other amounts, or no tolerances at all, can be used, as desired.

The grids on the playing board 150 are made by cross-hatching (or placing perpendicular to each other) lines of 1 mm. thickness 1 inch apart, corresponding to and in order to align with the dimensions of the game pieces, themselves. When laying a game piece flat on the playing board (on its back or front, where the unique contour of the piece can be seen from above the board, for example,) each of the tolerances of every block is perpendicular to the playing board. The tolerances of each block line up (or can be positioned to line up) over the grid lines. Whether care is taken to orient the pieces in an orthogonal fashion or not, each game piece that is laid flat extends, in the presently described embodiment, 24.4 millimeters above the board. As noted above, every game piece in the presently described embodiment has a thickness of 24.4 millimeters. However, this is not meant to be limiting, as thicknesses of other amounts can be used, as desired, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In the presently described example, when placing a game piece 101-141 on its side or end, however, each of the tolerances that are now parallel to the playing board extends the height of the erected piece 1 millimeter above the level of pieces laying flat on the board. This can create the need for spacers. For instance, placing (or erecting) the 1×6 rectangular prism 135 vertically would cause it to extend 5 millimeters above the level of 5 game pieces stacked horizontally, or laid flat on top of one another. Placing the 2×3 rectangular prism 101 vertically would cause it to extend either 1 millimeter above two, or 2 millimeters above three flat levels, depending on its orientation (whether it was placed on its side or its end.)

The need for spacers decreases when placing a game piece at an “alternate orientation.” That is, by alternating orientation of placement, vertical vs. horizontal, erect vs. flat, as the process of stacking continues, the orthogonal design of the game pieces of the present embodiment helps to cancel out the 1 millimeter disparity. One of the purposes of the present game is also to help players develop “alternate orientations”—alternative approaches or uniquely different ways of looking at problems.

In accordance with one particular embodiment of the invention, a game board assembly is provided in which the board is part of, or rests on, a “wobble” base having a curved, surface engaging face that acts as a destabilizing device for the game board. More particularly, referring now to FIGS. 7A and 7B, there is shown a game board assembly, in accordance with one particular embodiment of the invention. More particularly, a game board, such as game board 10 of FIG. 1A, is positioned on a flat, top face 302 of a half sphere or hemispherical base 300.

The curvilinear lower face 304 of the hemispherical base 300 is placed on a flat surface 310, such as a table or a wood or tile floor. The face 304 balances on the surface 310 at rest, but due to the curvature of the surface engaging face 304, the base 300 will rock when unbalanced or jostled. Consequently, a game can be played on a board 10 located on the top face 302 of the base 300, such that if great care is not used when placing a piece (101-139 of FIG. 4), the board 10 may rock or wobble, and one or more pieces may be dislodged from the game board. If the game is being played such that pieces 101-139 are being stacked to form a tower, unbalancing the base 300 may result in rocking and/or rotational motion of the hemispherical base 300, which may topple the tower like a house of cards. Although the base 300 is shown as being half of a sphere, this is not meant to be limiting, as other types of curved base may be used. For example, referring now to FIG. 8, there is shown a game board 10 on a less curved base 320. Use of a less curved base 320 provides for a more stable, less reactive destabilizing apparatus than that using base 300 of FIGS. 7A and 7B.

In the particular embodiment shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B and 8, the diagonal dimension of the board 10 is equal to the diameter of the top face of hemispherical base 300. However, this is not meant to be limiting, as other size bases can be used. For example, FIG. 9 shows a game board placed on a top surface of a hemispherical base 330 that is smaller than board 10 (i.e., where the diameter of the sphere is less than the width/length of the game board 10), resulting in the board overhanging the base 330. The use of a smaller curved base provides for a less stable, more reactive destabilizing apparatus. In one particular embodiment of the invention, a 9″×9″ board 10 is used on a curved base having a diameter of 6″-8″ in diameter and 2″-4″ in height.

In another embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 10, a curved, destabilizing base can be made out of two flat, interlocking pieces 340 and 350, as shown. In one particular embodiment of the invention, each piece 340, 350 has a length of 6″-8″ on the top flat face and a height of 2″-4″. Each of the pieces 340, 350 additionally includes a notch 345, 355 that is half the height of the piece 340, 350, to permit engagement to form a curved base for supporting a game board or other game board apparatus. The pieces 340, 350 can be made to be less rounded, as shown in FIG. 10A, to form a more stable base, or more rounded base, as shown in FIG. 10B, to form a less stable base.

Additionally, in one particular embodiment of the invention, each of the pieces 340, 350 are provided with holes 347, 348 and 357, 358, in order to receive pegs from a further game board apparatus. More particularly, referring now to FIGS. 4, 5, 10 and 11A-11C, there is shown a U-channel game board apparatus 360 for use with a base formed from the pieces 340, 350. The U-channel has a width “W” for receiving part or all of a game piece therein. In one particular embodiment wherein the blocks 114A are 24.4 millimeters, the width of the channel 362 is 1 inch (i.e., the width of a block 114A plus 1 millimeter as a repositioning tolerance). In the present particularly described example, the height/depth of the channel 362 “H” is 2 inches, so as to accommodate two levels of three dimensional pieces. Pegs 364 mate with holes 347, 348 or 357, 358 in the pieces 340, 350 to lock the game board apparatus 360 on top of the destabilizing base 340, 350. The game board apparatus 360 provides a foundation for building vertical walls using the game pieces 101-139.

Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5, 10, 12A and 12B, there is shown a V-channel game board apparatus 370 for use with a base formed from the pieces 340, 350. In one particular embodiment wherein the blocks 114A are 24.4 millimeters, the width of the V-channel 372 is 1 inch (i.e., the width of a block 114A plus 1 millimeter as a repositioning tolerance). In the present particularly described example, the faces 376, 378 are at 90 degrees to one another and deep enough to accommodate two levels of blocks 114 a. In one particular embodiment, each of the faces 376, 378 has a length “L”, which in one particular embodiment is two inches. Pegs 374 mate with holes 347, 348 or 357, 358 in the pieces 340, 350 to lock the game board apparatus 370 on top of the destabilizing base 340, 350. The game board apparatus 370 provides a foundation for building structures on an angle using the game pieces 101-139. When interlocked with a destabilizing base 340, 350 a challenging game can be played involving stacking the pieces 101-139 on the apparatus 370.

In addition to the pieces 101-135 and/or 136-139 and a game board, such as game board 10, in accordance with one particular embodiment of the invention, a set of six “stones” or die are provided that are useful in playing particular suggested versions of a game or puzzle. The dice 400 can be used to select the piece that must be put on the board during one embodiment of game play and/or the section of board in another embodiment of game play. In one particular embodiment of the invention, at least one die 460 is color coded to the colored regions of the board 10 of FIG. 1A (i.e., having sided painted or labeled red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet) and is ruled to instruct the player where to place the next game piece (i.e., rolling red requires placement of the next piece in the red section of the board 10) in one particular embodiment of the invention.

In accordance with one particular embodiment of the invention, six “stones” 400 are provided wherein:

The first stone 410 is a standard die, each face having pips (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6);

The second stone 420 is a six sided die, each face having one symbol 0, 6, 12, 18, 24 or 30;

The third stone 430 is a six sided die, each face having a color red, orange, yellow, green, blue or violet;

The fourth stone 440 is a six-sided die having sides denoting right, left, top, bottom, front or back;

The fifth stone 450 is a six-sided die having sides denoting right left top, bottom, up or down; and

The sixth stone 460 is a six-sided die that can provide for further choices and randomization.

In one particular embodiment of the invention, the stones 400 can be rolled to play the game in particular ways. For example, in one embodiment, stones 410 and 420 can be rolled (and added together) to select a specific game piece (i.e., “stick”) 101-135 of FIG. 2, with a roll totaling 36 being the “player's choice of remaining available game pieces.

In another example, stones 410 and 420 can also be rolled to specify x, y coordinates of a flat grid or x, y, z coordinates of a cubic grid or rectangular prism, thus instructing the player where to “stack” the “stick” (i.e., game piece).

In a further example, stones 410 and 420 (or, if desired, stones 440 and 450) can be rolled to select a specific square on the Tic-Tac-Toe Board 10 b of FIG. 1B in which a game piece must be placed.

In yet another example, stone 430 can be rolled to specify which color on the board 10 a of FIG. 1A to play on or in. Stone 430 also allows for specifying colors of individual sides of the game pieces 101-135/101-139, in an embodiment where the individual sides of the game pieces are different colors (i.e., each piece having one side each of, for example, red, green, blue, orange, yellow, violet).

Additionally, in one embodiment, the stone 440 can be rolled to dictate an orientation of the game piece (i.e., which side, end or contour of the game piece face is to face UP, for example, or which side, end or contour faces the rolled direction, relative to the board, as determined by stone 450).

Similarly, stone 450 can be rolled to determine the position of the game piece on the board (i.e., the side, end or contour of the game piece, as selected by the stone 440 must be placed to face the side (left or right), end (top or bottom) or direction (up or down) relative to the board, rolled on the stone 450).

Stone 460 can be a “Wild” die that players can opt to use to customize the selected game or puzzle with individual preferences, which introduces choices beyond the chance randomizations of stones 410-450. Stone #6's six faces denote pc/row; pc/column; row/column; pc/row/column; lose turn; free roll, as will be discussed more particularly, below.

There will now be described particular embodiments for using the game pieces and game assemblies of FIGS. 1-13 as a game, puzzle, model or toy. In particular the following “rules” and suggestions are merely suggested ways of engaging with the pieces and game assemblies of the instant application. It should be understood that any combination of the following can be used and/or entirely different methods of using the pieces and/or game assemblies can be performed without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention.

In one particular embodiment of the invention, the first rule is that there are no rules for playing the game. Rather, the player can choose to play whatever variation of the game, puzzle, model or toy that the player wants to play. The player can make up its own rules, or not. The player can follow one or more of the following rules and/or suggestions, if desired.

As an example, a second rule can be—when arranging the pieces, the third dimension requires structures not only to have a strong foundation, but also to be balanced and sound in their erection, in order to withstand the ultimately destructive forces of gravity and entropy. Those structures that are built up right tend to stay upright. Structures that aren't, don't. Those structures that are more stable tend to withstand better over time, water, weather, wind, quakes, shakes, bakes, lakes and other damaging forces of Nature. Therefore, if you want your structure to last, pay attention first to the direction of the erection. Either it stands, or it falls.

In the present example, a third rule can be—either it fits, or it doesn't. Either it is fit, or able to be fit, or it's not. Either the piece fits the place, or it doesn't. Either your body is physically and structurally up to the task against and in gravity, or it's not.

Additionally, a fourth exemplary rule can be—“It's UP to you!” Whether the chosen piece fits the selected space depends on what you, the players, choose, select and otherwise decide. You can choose not to decide, and allow chance to select the pieces and spaces of play (See Stones section in “Suggestions,” below.) You can choose any grid size and shape you'd like, and build inside or outside that selected size and shape, square, rectangular, or some combination thereof. You can build more easily on a level, hard surface, or less easily on an undulating, soft surface (like the beach,) but not so easily on a rounded, bouncy surface (like a beach ball, or any kind of ball.) (See Balls section in “Suggestions,” below.) “It's UP to you!” Just as the verticality, stability and longevity of your own spine, the surfaces you play on, and your level of fitness, are up to you. You can make these selections before playing the game, or during, or not at all. “It's UP to you!”

One possible fifth rule can be—there are more than five senses. Share this game, puzzle, model and toy to help your family and friends develop their senses of play, balance, closeness and wonder, in addition to their other senses. Also, if you and your friends sense and create a fun version that isn't among the suggestions listed below, share it with others.

A possible sixth rule for using the game pieces and assemblies of the present invention can be—“The Rule of 6's”: Cubes have six faces and three axes. Cubes can rotate around one, two or all three of their central axes, without otherwise changing their position. So can other three-dimensional objects, including the vertebrae, the bones of your spine. Therefore, 3-D objects such as cubes and vertebrae share these rotational six degrees of freedom. Cubes can also glide (forward or backward,) translate (side to side) and move (up or down) along their central axes without rotating. So can the bones of your spine. And so can the blocks included in this game, puzzle, model and toy.

Of course, vertebral bones and cubes can also move along their central axes while rotating, creating an infinite number of combinations and possibilities of movement for each cube. Higher levels of infinity are created when additional cubes, vertebrae, cylinders or cells are stacked on top of one another, and allowed to move as individual units, while also being restricted in some ways to move cooperatively, as a single unit. Certain restrictions and peculiar freedoms obtain in a specific articulation depending on the nature and structure of the joints, and their consequent level of connective strength and stability, as well as the size, position, orientation and alignment of the individual segments, and their intrinsic integrity. This is true whether the connected segments or individual pieces are vertebrae, cubes, cylinders, cells, cans or game pieces 101-135, and whether the joint tissues are cartilage, capsule, muscle, tendon, ligament or the specialized fluid-filled ligaments known as intervertebral discs (IVDs.) Extents of restriction and degrees of freedom are predictable and universal, and are the very foundation of erectile function, proper understanding and implementation of which are the basis of erectile freedom.

An exemplary seventh rule can be—as you search for your own interpretation of what erectile function and freedom mean to you, remember: When in doubt, refer to the first rule (“there are no rules”). Other than time, gravity and matter, which may not be as absolute as once thought, there are no rules. There are restrictions imposed by individual pieces and game assemblies, which are fixed and unyielding, but the “rules” governing the alignment and interaction of the pieces are determined solely by gravity and you, the players. “It's UP to you!”.

In an exemplary eighth rule (and first Suggestion)—“Trust in 8.”—Trust innate. Contemplate, understand and trust Innate Intelligence. That power that flowed over and through your cells, as you were forming in utero, and directed the divine dance, the duplication and differentiation of your cells to create the miraculous Structure, the tissues, organs and systems that became you, and still comprise you, that power that made the nervous system and the bones and joints that protect and erect the nervous system, that allow you to feel and heal, move and stay, walk and lay, run and play, that power is Innate Intelligence. That power formed the structures and functional organs that became you, and that power still coordinates and controls those structures, organs and functions in a cooperative and equally miraculous expression known as Health. Innate Intelligence, that power that first made the body, still heals the body.

While sticks and stones may break your bones, “Stick, Stack, Stone” will bend and build your brain. The game pieces (i.e., Sticks arranged in Stacks according to “stones” or dice, in one particular embodiment of the invention) don't bend, so your brain has to. Use “Stick, Stack, Stone” to help cultivate an appreciation of Innate Intelligence, and the demands posed by gravity and other forces of Nature that your nervous system faces on an ongoing basis, and solves on an up-staying base. Allow Innate Intelligence to help you decide which of the countless challenges of the games and puzzles you will choose to confront, as well as how to solve them. (Not only for “Stick, Stack, Stone” but also for Life.).

Suggestions: Following are suggestions, in accordance with one embodiment, for playing a game using a set or subset of the game pieces 101-141 of FIG. 4 and/or one or more of the gaming boards, apparatus' and/or assemblies described herein. Note that the invention is not limited to playing a game, puzzle, model or toy only according to the suggestions provided below. Rather, other methods of play may be used while still keeping with the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Any or all of the game pieces 101-141 and/or game assemblies can be played with as a toy. A player can use them as building blocks, throw them, juggle them, balance them, tap them, toss them into baskets, shove them back in the box, or play 41-piece pickup!

Any or all of the game pieces 101-141 and/or game assemblies can be played with as a game. A player can tile a floor or a flat grid, stack a shape with two or more floors, or can create any free-form shape that appeals to the player. (Rectangle, square, plus sign, cross, ell-shaped, zig-zag, tunnel, bridge, etc.).

Additionally, any or all of the game pieces 101-135, or 101-141 and/or game assemblies can be played with as a puzzle. Some suggestions for stacking puzzles include:

“Pack UP”—build a tapering square or rectangular pyramid, where each new level (above) is two units less wide and two units less long than the previous level (below).

“Overhang”—build an upside-down pyramid, where each new level (above) is two units wider and two units longer than the previous level (below.) (See the playing board page for more specific suggestions.).

“Six-saw puzzle”—attempt to fit the Upriqx blocks inside various grid sizes without going outside the selected boundaries. Some grid sizes will require additional playing boards, a larger playing area, or your imagination. Such flat grids include 3×72, 4×54, 6×36, 8×27 and 9×24 (all with a Surface Area of 216 square units.). In one particular embodiment of the invention, the game board will accommodate a 12×18 grid=216.

“Cubic Rubric”—try to fit the game pieces inside various cube sizes without going outside the selected boundaries. Theoretically possible rectangular prisms include 3×3×24, 3×6×12, 3×8×9, 4×6×9, 6×6×6 and 2×9×12. (all with a Volume of 216 cubic units.). Build tall as Up as you can.

“Periphery”—build outside a selected grid or shape. Use the game pieces to create a flat (one level) or raised (>1 level) border of a selected size (4 units wide, or 3 units wide and 4 units high, for example.).

Holes in the Wall”—stand the game pieces on end to build walls vertically while trying to make windows of a certain size and shape. (Or, conversely, try to keep the number of holes created to a minimum.

“Cubic Tubes”—try to position the game pieces to build four intact walls, while connecting the walls at intersecting corners so they are more stable.

“Sixty Sick Sixes”—use two sets of game pieces to attempt to place 60 one-sided hexominoes in a 19×19 grid (with one space left over.). More particularly, ten of the cubic hexominoes (101, 103, 104, 106, 119, 124, 127, 128, 132 and 135) have the same shape even when flipped over—facing up or down matters not (hexomino 135 is the only cubic hexomino that can be rotated onto its side, and still retain its same contour as seen from above). Flipping over the other twenty-five hexominoes will yield their mirror-image opposite. These twenty-five hexominoes, plus their twenty reflections, plus the ten shapes where the front side and the back side have the same contour, total 60 one-sided hexominoes. Thus, two sets of game pieces are needed to play “Sixty Sick Sixes” or other games where front side-down or back side-up might matter to the players. When completing the “Sixty Sick Sixes” puzzle, the game pieces will extend one column and one row beyond the 18×18 game board. Extra points are awarded for placing the blocks so that the one empty space is positioned in any corner of the grid. Additional extra points if the one empty space is positioned in the center of the grid.

“Mental blocks”—engage in the process of moving the game pieces to gain a better understanding of erectile function. Repeatedly move and remove these and other mental blocks to achieving higher levels of erectile freedom.

“Erect Tile fun”—simply try to stand game pieces on their ends or sides, and see which pieces will stand as erect tiles, without falling, and thereby learn which portions of which pieces can serve as the foundation of an erection.

“Stick, Stack, Stone”—Use the black and white side of the playing board and the six die (410-460 of FIG. 13) included (stones 400) to place (stack) the game pieces (sticks) on the board in order to complete a single row, column or diagonal (as in tic-tac-toe). You can also specify that game pieces added to the tic-tac-toe board must be placed so that they touch (or must not touch) a particular border of the tic-tac-toe square or pieces previously placed as determined by a roll of one or more of the dice 440 and 450.

“Color Blind”—Use the colored side of the playing board to build upon (or near) a selected color. (Die 430 can be used to select the color.) game pieces placed on the purest expressions of color will need to be stacked on their side, because each column of purest color is only one unit wide. How strictly you interpret the color, or colorblind rule, is also Up to you.

“Play prone”—Don't play Upriqx sitting down, because you're almost certainly doing that wrong, and you're probably sitting too much already. Instead, lay flat on your stomach and prop yourself up on your elbows, returning a more natural lordotic curve to your neck and low back, and reducing stress on your lungs, digestive organs, and IVDs. Neck muscles will have to work (which is good,) but other spinal muscles can relax more.

Further Rules and suggestions for play include:

Since there are no rules, play whatever variation of the game, puzzle, model or toy that you choose to. Make your own rules. Or don't.

Decide which stones (dice 400) you will use. You can use none, some or all. Stone 410 and/or Stone 420 can be used to determine who goes first. The players decide before rolling the Stones whether the highest or the lowest total goes first, and then play proceeds clockwise (to the player's left, when players are facing the Board.).

Stones 410 and 420 are then rolled and added together to generate a number between 1 and 36. This randomly determined number can then be used to select a particular game piece (corresponding to the cubic hexominoes numbered 101-135 in FIG. 2). If a certain roll occurred previously in the game, and the corresponding piece was already placed on the Board, then the player either loses a turn or selects the nearest remaining game piece. This is the type of yes-no decision that players can and should make before playing. If the player loses a turn, then play proceeds clockwise. If the players decide to be allowed to select the nearest remaining piece, they also need to decide on a method of doing so. Players can use Stone 450, to decide for them: players will select the next greater-number piece if Stone 450 shows right, top or up, and the next lower-number piece if Stone 450 shows left, bottom or down, regardless of which piece is nearest, or to break a tie between two pieces the same distance apart from the number rolled twice. (A second roll of 23, for example, will create a situation where 22 and 24 are the nearest pieces available, if they haven't been placed already. Clearly, they are both the same distance away from 23.) Using some method of determining nearest or next (taking the next available larger number, for example) makes more sense than continuing to roll the dice to try to hit the number of a piece that hasn't already been placed. This is especially true when only a few pieces are left. A roll of 36 is player's choice (of remaining game pieces.).

Stones 410 and 420 can also be used to determine the particular space on the playing board where the game piece selected by the first roll is placed. For example, the second roll can be used to specify the row, and the third roll to specify the column. Rolls of 1 and 1 would designate the upper left corner of the playing board's 18×18 grid, or the square at the intersection of row 1 and column 1. The player would then have to place the selected game piece so that one of its six cubes sits atop that particular square. If the player cannot place the piece flat, between pieces previously played, then the player must try to stand the piece on its end or on its side, while still sitting atop the square determined by rolls two and three. Stacking the game piece on top of others is also allowed, as long as complete contact with the square on the playing board is maintained by one of the faces of one of the six cubes of the selected game piece. If the game piece cannot be placed as described above, or falls, or cannot maintain flush contact with the square on the board (no leaning allowed), then the player loses a turn.

The square at the intersection of row 6 and column 11 is the “dot” above the “I” in the upriqx logo on the colored side 10 a of the playing Board 10 of FIG. 1A. In one particular embodiment, the numbers 1-18 are placed on the board as a key or another method of easily figuring the (x,y) square is provided. Additionally, a roll of 35 leads to column 17 (method one, subtract 18 from any roll greater than 18,) or to column 18 (method two, add one to the roll, divide by two, and use the integer of that quotient). In one particular embodiment of the invention, the columns are numbered 1-36 with smaller font and half-size game pieces can be placed/used. Stones 410 and 420 can also be used to specify squares on the black and white side 10 b of the Board 10 in this same manner. But it is easier to use Stone 410 only, for example, and roll twice, first for the row, and then for the column, as before, although now referring to the rows and columns of the Tic-Tac-Toe Board 12 of FIG. 1B. For example, a roll of 1 or 4 could specify the top row, 2 or 5 would specify the middle row and 3 or 6 would specify the bottom row. These same rolls would specify the left, middle and right columns of the T-T-T B, respectively. Rolls of 2 and 5, in this case, would specify the center square of the Tic-Tac-Toe Board. Alternately, players might prefer rolls of 1 or 2 to specify top/left, 3 or 4 for middle, and 5 or 6 for bottom/right. It's UP to the player.

Stone 430 can be used to specify the color on which to place the selected game piece. Each of the faces of Stone 430 corresponds to a specific color (or column) on the playing Board. So a player can choose to roll Stone 430 to select the column, instead of rolling Stones 410 and 420 a third time. With about three columns for each of the six colors, Stone 430 allows for more flexibility, unless players decide that the purest expression of that color must be used (which are columns 1, 4, 7, 11, 15 and 18 to my eye.) Besides these columns, the purest colors are in the six letters of the logo. Pieces can also be placed on the letter corresponding to the selected color. Although there is of course flexibility in placing the pieces, considering that only one of the six cubes needs to sit atop a specified square, and the game piece can be laid flat, or on its side or end, along either the row or the column, it all depends on how strictly players wish to interpret the “Colorblind” rule.

Stone 440 can be rolled to dictate orientation of the Stick (which side, end or contour of the selected game piece faces “UP”, for example, or which side, end or contour faces the direction, relative to the playing Board, determined by Stone 450.). Stone 450 can be rolled to determine the position of the Stick (game piece) on the board. The side, end or contour of the Stick as selected by Stone 440 must be placed to face the side (left or right), end (top or bottom) or direction (up or down) relative to the playing board, as selected by Stone 450.

Stone 450 can also be rolled to select one of the nine larger squares on the Tic-Tac-Toe Board. Simply roll Stone 450 twice to select the row and column of the Tic-Tac-Toe square. Stone 450's top, down and bottom faces refer to the three rows of the Tic-Tac-Toe Board, while the left, up and right faces refer to the three columns. Additionally, the stones 400 might be used to specify which of the borders of a given square on the Tic-Tac-Toe board 10 b of FIG. 1B need to be touched or avoided, when placing game piece to complete a Tic-Tac-Toe.

Stone 460 is a “Wild” die which players can opt to use to customize the selected game or puzzle with individual preferences (introducing choices beyond chance randomizations of Stones 410-450.) Stone 460's six faces denote: pc/row; pc/column; row/column; pc/row/column; lose turn; free roll. The face that comes up can be the portion of the important first three rolls of Stones 410 and 420 that you can choose for yourself, so that none or only one of the three is determined by chance (rolling the dice.) Players can also decide before playing if the faces of Stone 460 will specify those parameters that they are allowed to choose freely, or those that will be determined by throws of the Stones.

Additionally, a discard-type game may be played where the 35 pieces 101-135 of FIG. 2 are distributed randomly but equally among the players, who then try to place their pieces on the Board before anyone else. Order of play matters here, because the first to play has the best chance of using all the pieces. Rule needs to be that other players have a chance to match that performance, i.e., be allowed to complete the frame or inning. game pieces could be randomly assigned to the players, or they could be chosen by the players, really doesn't matter.

Weights:

In another particular embodiment of the invention, weights may be provided to add a further challenge to the game. A threat to balance in any gravitational field, increased weight needs to be accommodated. If the weight is too large, or the resultant effect of its position is too destabilizing, balance can be lost and structures can fall. Included in the present embodiment of the game are single cubic monominoes of different weights. The same size cube, with different density material and therefore different weights, one to six units (ounces would work.) These weights are placed on the playing board according to the rolls of Stones 410 and 420, as previously explained. They are designed to destabilize the balance of the playing board (or even a channel) when perched on one of the wobble boards (FIGS. 7A-12B). The size of the weight (1-6) can be determined by a roll of Stone 410. Drawing a certain card will direct the player to place a destabilizing weight on the board. The player is directed to draw a card by a certain roll of the dice, I'm thinking Stone 460. (The Wild Stone, rolled twice.) The 4 extra game pieces 136-139 of FIG. 4, the smaller pieces included to complete certain grids, could also be weighted (1, 2, 3 and 3 units each) which would change the addition of weight very slightly, by spreading the added weight over 2 or 3 squares on the board. In one particular embodiment, these additional small game pieces 136-139 could also easily be weighted 2, 4, 6 and 6 units each, or any weights.) Placement of these weights on one of the channels (362 of FIG. 11A, 372 of FIG. 12A) would need to be determined in a different fashion (non-grid.)

Colored Cards:

Additionally, if desired, colored cards may be provided with the pieces and game assembly as part of the game. The colored cards are game-changers, but only if you're playing the game on one of the destabilizing or wobble boards described in connection with FIGS. 7A-12B. There are three cards for each color, a total of 18 cards. The three cards are different from each other, but each color has the same three cards. One of the three cards says “Place a weight (1-6) per Stone 410 on row, column per Stone 410 and 420”. The second card says “Place a weight per Stone 410 on the square of your choice”. The third card says “Slide, tap or otherwise carefully move the weight of your choice (already on the board) one to six squares (your choice) in the direction(s) of your choice”. A player may not otherwise touch the playing board and may not lift the weight off the board. Flipping the weight along one of its bottom edges and onto an adjacent face is allowed, but not recommended. If there is not a weight already on the board, then this third card directs the player to place the weight of that color card on the board on the square of their choice. The cubes of different weights are of different colors, with red, associated with danger, being the heaviest at six units, and violet, at the opposite end of the spectrum, being the lightest, at one unit. (R-O-Y-G-B-V at 6-5-4-3-2-1 units.) Could again use Stone 450 to select the next heaviest or next lightest weight, should the weight selected by Stone 410 have already been placed.

Accordingly, while a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and described herein, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described, and that within the embodiments certain changes in the detail and construction, as well as the arrangement of the parts, may be made without departing from the principles of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 

I claim:
 1. A game, comprising: a set of game pieces including a plurality of cubic hexominoes; a game board or game board apparatus; and a destabilizing base having a first face configured to support said game board or game board apparatus and a second, curved face, opposite said first face.
 2. The game of claim 1, wherein the set of game pieces includes thirty-five unique cubic hexominoes.
 3. The game of claim 2, wherein the set of game pieces additionally includes two duplicate hexominoes.
 4. The game of claim 3, wherein the set of game pieces further includes two unique cubic triominoes, a cubic domino and a cubic monomino.
 5. The game of claim 1, wherein each hexomino of said plurality of cubic hexominoes is made up of six joined cubes including a tolerance between each two contiguously joined cubes.
 6. The game of claim 1, wherein said base is made from two, interlocking pieces.
 7. The game of claim 1, wherein the game board or game board apparatus is a U-channel or V-channel game board apparatus that matingly engages the first face of the destabilizing base. 